First Butt on the UDS

BamsBBQ said:
the general guideline is 1 1/2 hours of cook time for every pound of meat...but each cut of meat is different.. so this will roughly take 16 hours to cook
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I did a 10# fresh picnic a couple of weeks ago in the electric smoker, and it took 12-1/2 hours to get to 195 F. It just fell off the bones and shredded beautifully.
 
phreak said:
Ugly Drum Smoker

Some people paint them pretty and add shelves and stuff...I figure it's a 55 gallon drum, I'll stick with the "rat" look.
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Oh, I thought it was an Ugly Damn Smoker. :eek: :yum:
 
JoeV said:
I did a 10# fresh picnic a couple of weeks ago in the electric smoker, and it took 12-1/2 hours to get to 195 F. It just fell off the bones and shredded beautifully.
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yup mine just came up to 190 right now...is resting in tinfoil right now...

yes Allen bring some beer there will be lots..lol

finishing pics to come in about an hour or so
 
Why would unlit Kingsford charcoal impart a taste as it ignites? The outside is the same as the inside unless you're using that matchlight stuff.

Great looking piece of pork. Weird looking butt though. They don't look like that around here, but it all falls down to the different terminologies the different regions use I suppose.
 
chowhound said:
Why would unlit Kingsford charcoal impart a taste as it ignites? The outside is the same as the inside unless you're using that matchlight stuff.

Great looking piece of pork. Weird looking butt though. They don't look like that around here, but it all falls down to the different terminologies the different regions use I suppose.
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Because briquettes are powdered and compressed charcoal held together with a binder. As they are lighting and getting to the fully lit red hot state, they smolder and give off smoke. That smoke smells and tastes of the binder and smoldering coal.

Once they are fully lit, there is no more smoke.

Some would argue the charcoal smoke permeates the meat and adds a charcoal taste. Next time you light some coals, preferably in a chimney, get next to them once the fire goes out and they are smoldering and smoking as they climb to red hot. Get a good whiff of that smoke. Is that the kind of smoke you want in your meat?

Some argue this smoke alters the flavor, and some say it has no impact. In the past, I used to add unlit coals to my smoker and let them light (Kingsford) and I could tell the difference and actually tasted some of the charcoal smoke. It’s not bad, and if you use plenty of wood, you may not be able to tell the difference?

If you use lump, then you don’t have these worries, but lump burns fast and hot making it harder to control the temp. I typically only use lump for searing steaks and other meats where I want a really hot fire.

And actually, I'd call that cut Bam has a picnic shoulder. Not really a butt.
 
Yeah, I didn't have much luck with lump either in keeping stable temps.

I guess I don't understand how charcoal burns. Because you can snuff it out and relight it, I always figured that the red glow I saw was only coming from the outside of the briquette wher ethe oxygen was... that the whole thing wasn't glowing red through and through. I always thought charcoal burned from the outside in. You're saying it doesn't? Are you saying that charcoal totally ignites, even in the center as it lights?
Otherwise, I stand by my thought that a piece charcoal slowly igniting itself is really no different than a lit piece igniting an unlit piece. Unless of course the binder is only applied to the outside of the briquette.

If that makes sense (lol)
 
chowhound said:
Yeah, I didn't have much luck with lump either in keeping stable temps.

I guess I don't understand how charcoal burns. Because you can snuff it out and relight it, I always figured that the red glow I saw was only coming from the outside of the briquette wher ethe oxygen was... that the whole thing wasn't glowing red through and through. I always thought charcoal burned from the outside in. You're saying it doesn't? Are you saying that charcoal totally ignites, even in the center as it lights?
Otherwise, I stand by my thought that a piece charcoal slowly igniting itself is really no different than a lit piece igniting an unlit piece. Unless of course the binder is only applied to the outside of the briquette.

If that makes sense (lol)
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Yes, it is completely lit through and through when it is red hot. I’ve actually broken a few pieces open before, and it is one solid piece of red hot love.

As it is lighting though, it lights from outside in and you’ll get hot spots and smoke.
 
Also, the binder runs through and through the briquette. Imagine a big bowl of coal dust, add binder, mix, then press into a mold. That’s the basics of it.
 
Can anyone give some pros and cons of converting to gas?

I was thinking that it would hold a constant temp for as long as you want. Use something like this and put a pan on top with the smoking wood in the pan.
 
Adillo303 said:
Can anyone give some pros and cons of converting to gas?

I was thinking that it would hold a constant temp for as long as you want. Use something like this and put a pan on top with the smoking wood in the pan.
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What you linked to is a outdoor fryer. Great for turkeys, but it burns like a rocket taking off in your backyard. It would be hard to control temp with that. However, they make plenty of gas smokers.

Pros:
Easy temp management.
Less mess (no ash)
Easier clean up.
Little to no “fiddling” required

Cons:
Less flavor unless you really load on the wood.
No badge of honor from the coal purists (:lol:)

As you can see, not many Cons at all. In fact, no cons really if you load up the wood or use pellets.
 
Thanks. I had no idea (obviously) that it was a total red glowing bundle of love (lol).
I can see your point now, but I think I'll still stick with briquettes ;^)
 
I see your point Keltin. I found a website, of course, I can't find it now, that had step by step suggestions with pictures to make a Charbroil silver smoker into a reverse flow unit by putting a steel plate in the bottom and moving the chimney. They ued a turkey fryer burner and said they only ran it 1/4 open.

Since I alread have a silver smoker, I have aproblem justifuyingheaving it and building a UDS, which seems to be the better way to go, just more money. I am new at smoking and making a lot of beginnermistakes. However, what is comming off the smoker is reeally tasting good. So much to learn, and fortuynately several good sources of knowledge here. Anyway, the guy claimed after mods he put a thermometer in eiter end and kep the ends within 25 degrees foeachother and that was comperable iwth a Lange.

I am not arguing, I have SO MUCH to learn. I can only smoke on the weekends with my work schedule. Lovin every second of it.

Thank you all

Andy
 
i have owned all the smokers...electric,charcoal,,propane and stick burners..

they all have their benefits. my favorite is always going to be a stick burner followed by charcoal. i like them for 2 reasons, i like the flavors better and i actually enjoy maintaining a fire and always checking to make sure things are working properly...

ok now for some finishing pics.. and what a way to celebrate my 4000th post...with lots of pork..lol
 

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Adillo303 said:
Sorry tobe a pest - What is a stick burner?

Thank You

Andy
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a stick burner is a wood fired pit Andy

Lang%20Smoker%20-%201.jpg
 
Adillo303 said:
Oh!!!!!! My!!!! Gosh!!! Is that ever way cool.

Thank You

Andy
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those are the only ones in my opinon that will give you that "authentic" bbq flavor...all others are still good but are really trying to mimic the flavors produced by one of these...

nothing like tending a pit in the middle of the night, sitting around with a couple of guys, sipping on a few and enjoying each others company...no matter what the food tastes like, those moments are the best...
 
thanks everyone...

here's my honest review....

everybody that i cooked for loved it..

me?? well i thought it was "alright"...lots of improvement needed but overall not bad for being the first pulled pork of the year

i wasnt happy with the cut of meat... i like picnics alright for pulled pork but just not my favorite...i usually inject my pork butts but i didnt have the ingredients on hand so i didnt...:blush:

next time i get a picnic, i will make a ham out of it..... maybe...lol
 
Great thread, Bam! Your photos and updates were excellent! Thanks!

Lee
 
Adillo303 said:
I see your point Keltin. I found a website, of course, I can't find it now, that had step by step suggestions with pictures to make a Charbroil silver smoker into a reverse flow unit by putting a steel plate in the bottom and moving the chimney. They ued a turkey fryer burner and said they only ran it 1/4 open.

Since I alread have a silver smoker, I have aproblem justifuyingheaving it and building a UDS, which seems to be the better way to go, just more money. I am new at smoking and making a lot of beginnermistakes. However, what is comming off the smoker is reeally tasting good. So much to learn, and fortuynately several good sources of knowledge here. Anyway, the guy claimed after mods he put a thermometer in eiter end and kep the ends within 25 degrees foeachother and that was comperable iwth a Lange.

I am not arguing, I have SO MUCH to learn. I can only smoke on the weekends with my work schedule. Lovin every second of it.

Thank you all

Andy
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its a good thing i saved it into my favorites..lol

http://users.wbsnet.org/n0yk/charbroil silver.htm
 
Adillo303 said:
That's the one Bam - Thank You

Andy

Did you make your stick burner?
Do you still have it?
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i made it...sadly it is now someone elses... money was really tight last winter... i enjoyed making it as much as i did cooking on it...

the firebox was made out of 1/4" plate steel, the cooking chamber was made from a old pressurized water tank

the next one will be built out of a 250 gallon propane tank
 
I understand the money situation. I am a self employed computer consultant. Business has een slow, and the bills go on.

I may have seen a pic of your's before, I never really looked closely till last night. What I want to do is make a "Mini Me" version of that with my silver smoker. The frame under it is feeble at best. I was hoping to set the drum on angle iron and use some more substantial settl for the frame, with maybe wheelbarrow wheels.

i have a gas welder and an electric welder. I corresponded with the gentleman on that site that you posted, he is really nice and very helpful. What I am looking for is the size of the oening between the end of the 10GA plate thqt I want to put under the grill and the right end of the silver smoker. Do you think the size is critical? He suggested a rolled up piece of flashing inside the chiminy for a smoke density adjustment. Iam planning on going with that.

Until then I am trying to smoke more. As Keltin pointed out, temp control is my biggest problem at the moment. That is why I was considering gas. Although, I ran across a posting where someone used expanded steel and made a tray for the firebox that can hold a lot of charcoal and keep it off the bottom so the ash dosen't chole the charcoal.

Just my dreams at the moment. I tried to get a flat piece of 10 ga steel to put in, the local sheet metal shop requires me to come to the shop in person to order, since they don't know me. Then they require me to pay in advance. I have no problem tith this. Then I must pickit up in person. They are open 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Mondy to Friday. No Saturdays. Problem is, I work in NYC and I catch a train at 5:30 Am and get back at 6:30 PM. trying to find a way around tht one at the moment. LOL

Andy
 
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